Connection February

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LoveLetters Expressions of love in a different era

Inside:

Unveiled A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OF CONNECTION

FEBRUARY 2015

FEBRUARY 2015

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FEBRUARY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE

February 2015

Contents

Unveiled

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OF CONNECTION 8

Prom dress re-wind Last year’s dresses are ready to step out at this year’s parties

12

Symbols of love Burrus Jewelers creates custom pieces from the heart

16

My dream wedding The wedding story of Lindsey and Jon Cross

23

Having a fairy tale wedding Accents-N-Tents helps keep it affordable

26

Corsage couture Custom made with style to compliment formal attire

28

Thanks a latte!

A perfect blend of fun and flavor for a bridal shower with a kick

30

On the spot with Destiny Vanzandt

33

Expressions of love in a different era

37

Dates for your date 7 fun ideas for vanlentine’s day

39

Healthy Connection Happy and healthy in 2015

42

Keeping that loving feeling Aurora couple shares their story of lasting love

44

A Litta help from your friends

52

Bottles and Brews Shake it up with Heartinis

54

Restaurant review Spicing it up at Acambaro

FEBRUARY 2015

On the Cover: A stack of love letters shared between Elizabeth and her husband, Ray, are a treasured keepsake of their daughter, Jane Ohlsen, of Mt. Vernon. Read Layne Sleeth’s story of the Ohlsen’s love and long marriage that blossomed in the 40s. PHOTO BY LAYNE SLEETH CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 3

www.edwardjones.com

Connection

A MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO SOUTHWEST MISSOURIANS

PUBLISHER Jacob Brower jwbrower@yahoo.com EDITOR Sherry Tucker thorntonlives@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR Veronica Zucca connection@monett-times.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Lisa Craft community@monett-times.com ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Sheila Harris James Craig Marion Chrysler

Everyone has milestones to celebrate in life.

Be prepared to make the most of each one.

There are things you plan for throughout your life, and there is no better feeling than knowing you are prepared when that moment arrives.

At Edward Jones, we are committed to help you make sure you are there for your loved ones at every milestone.

Join nearly 7 million investors that trust us with their finances and their aspirations.

To find the Edward Jones office in your neighborhood, call 1-800-ED-Jones or visit www.edwardjones.com.

Shane A Boyd

Jeramie Grosenbacher, CFP速

802 West Street Cassville, MO 65625 417-847-5238

1418 South Elliott Aurora, MO 65605 417-678-0277 1-866-678-0277

Jim Haston

Nathan Roetto AAMS速

7 East Broadway Monett, MO 65708 417-235-8216

304 W. Mount Vernon Blvd.

Mt. Vernon, MO 65712 417-466-4620

Donald E Weber

Scott Young

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor 100 Chapel Dr Suite B Monett, MO 65708 417-235-7465

MKD-7618-A

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Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor 100 Chapel Dr Suite B Monett, MO 65708 417-235-7465

Member SIPC

CONTRIBUTORS Murray Bishoff Meagan Ruffing Nancy Ridgley Darlene Wierman Sheila Harris Susan Funkhouser Pam Wormington Amanda Reese Anne Angle Layne Sleeth Dori Thomas Kerry Hays Katrina Hine Kim McCully-Mobley PHOTOGRAPHERS Chuck Nickle Jeff Terry Rob Lotufo DISTRIBUTION Greg Gilliam Kevin Funcannon TO ADVERTISE 417-847-2610 - Cassville 417-235-3135 - Monett Send e-mail inquiries to thorntonlives@gmail.com Mailing address: P.O. Box 486, Cassville, MO 65625 Connection is published monthly and distributed free in Cassville, Monett, Exeter, Washburn, Pierce City, Mt. Vernon, Aurora, Verona, Roaring River, Eagle Rock, Shell Knob, Purdy, Wheaton, Freistatt, Marionville, Seligman, Golden and other surrounding areas.

Connection is a publication of the Cassville Democrat, The Monett Times and Rust Communications.

FEBRUARY 2015

Editor’s note

Do you have an interesting story you’d like to see featured in Connection? I’d love to hear your idea!

Email thorntonlives@gmail.com and share it with me!

“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes,because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It’s the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows and the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.”

--Audrey Hepburn

T

his, unabashedly, female focused issue of Connection featuring both prom and bridal is full of color and textures that will, hopefully, inspire some brides, as well as our formal party attendees. Though dressing-up and stepping-out is a rare phenomenon that, for many, only accompanies the occasion of prom and wedding – it does mark the event and it becomes a moment held in memory and photographs for generations. No wonder the dream of a beautiful wedding or a stunning prom lives in the hearts of girls young and old.

It was a pleasure to work with the young ladies who participated in the prom dress re-wind photo spread. Just as Audrey said, “The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,” each of the girls were stunning, and the beauty within them would shine through, even if they were dressed in nothing more elegant than a simple cotton shift. The glow of their youth and their sweet smiles bring them more beauty than they will ever realize, or at least till they get a little older.

A new contributor, Lindsey Cross, premiers in this issue with her own wedding story. I think her step-by-step account of the events and decisions in her wedding journey will help any bride-to-be who is planning her wedding. If, as a bride, you are feeling overwhelmed, just break down the tasks, ask for help, and don’t forget to have fun!

And, we couldn’t let February pass by without including some love stories for the sake of Valentine’s Day. Stories of true romance, love at first sight and long engagements are always endearing and I hope their stories bring out some fond memories or just a gentle reminder to love those you hold dear.

Take care now,

Sherry Tucker

Coffee Punch 1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream 1 pot hot coffee 1 can evaporated milk Soften ice cream, put in large bowl.

Pour pot of hot coffee over the ice cream and allow to melt mostly, about 15 minutes. Add can of milk and stir. Pour into gallon bag and freeze until ready to use – at least 24 hours. Allow to thaw to slush for serving, about 4 to 6 hours in refrigerator. Takes two batches to fill standard size punch bowl.

FEBRUARY 2015

Are you planning a bridal shower?

Try this delicious recipe that is sure to be a party pleaser. See page 28 for even more recipes and shower inspiration!

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Chuck Nickle PHOTOGRAPHY

www.chucknicklephoto.com | 417-442-7317

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FEBRUARY 2015

A special supplement of Connection

8

16

26

Prom dress re-wind

My dream wedding

Corsage couture

Last year’s dresses are ready to step out at this year’s parties

The wedding story of Lindsey and Jon Cross

Custom made with style to compliment formal attire

12

23

28

Symbols of love

Having a fairy tale wedding

Thanks a latte!

Burrus Jewelers creates custom designed heirlooms

Accents-N-Tents helps keep it affordable

A perfect blend of fun and flavor for a bridal shower with a kick

FEBRUARY 2015

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Last years beautiful prom dresses are ready to step-out at this years parties

BY SHERRY TUCKER | PHOTOS BY CHUCK NICKLE PHOTOGRAPHY

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onnection asked area girls to take out last years prom dress one more time. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of a beloved dress that beholds the memories of a beautiful night spent dancing, and spending unforgettable

time surrounded with friends. These girls are keeping their memories, but are willing to see their dresses make even more memories for other girls. If you would like to see these dresses for yourself, most of them will be available for resale at Destiny’s resale shop located on the square in Cassville.

Ellysia Alley, Aurora SIZE 5/6

With vintage-glam appeal, Ellysia is stunning in this black lace over nude satin gown. It is floor length, backless and fully fitted. $100

Sabra Teel, Mt. Vernon SIZE 5/6

Sabra is modeling a beautiful glitter-beholden black silhouette dress featuring a flared skirt with white lay-in.

Sydney Sebastian, Monett SIZE 2

Sydney looks lovely in the highly stylized and detailed brown tulle ruffle and beaded bodice dress.

With a sweetheart neckline and sewn-in beading detail as well as layers of stringed beads, this design is sure to make an impact.

Adding to the formal is layers of 8 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE ruffles and full skirt.

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Sabra found this sparkling gown at a prom dress ministry held by a church in Osceola last year. She hopes that this dress will accompany another young lady this year, so she is donating it.

Sabra’s dress can be found at Cindy’s Resale Shop on Main Street in Washburn. Cindy has many affordable prom dresses available, and looks forward to helping young ladies find something just right, and within budget.

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Morgan Schilly, Purdy SIZE 4

Featuring mermaid style with tulle, this dress embraces every beautiful color between dark blue and teal. Variations of color with silver sequin gives this dress, and Morgan, party shimmer to last throughout the prom.

Torri Davis, Monett SIZE 2

Indigo blue with a stylized peacock bodice, Torri’s dress is great for any girl wanting to dance the night away. It’s strappy back and small train keeps it formal and elegant.

Diana Candelaria, Aurora SIZE 2

This feminine gown looks great on Diana with its stylish ombre of purple fading into blue. With a heavily beaded and jeweled bodice, high slit and low strapless neckline, it’s an eye-catcher. Also features a corseted back with ribbon tie.

Brook Sorenson, Exeter SIZE 0

Wearing her form-fitted cobalt blue dress, Brook shimmers in this iridescent, heavily sequined dress. Featuring sheer lower skirt and embellished train, this deep v-necked was made by Precious Formals.

Logan Senters, Exeter SIZE 14

Logan is wearing her emerald satin dress with white lace bodice embellished with silver sequins and jewels. With flattering satin rusching waistline and fully fitted trumpet style skirt, it was custom fitted for Logan’s tall, graceful silhouette. The sweetheart neckline works well to spotlight a special necklace or cascading curls.

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Savanna Ryan, Aurora SIZE 4

Savanna models her fun, fully sequined magenta gown with sweetheart neckline. This “pretty-in-pink� dress features a high slit, and is fully fitted.

Brooke Cowherd, Exeter SIZE 2

Brooke looks beautiful in this metallic dress with mixed golds and bronze sequins and beads.

With criss-cross back, this fully fitted, high side slit dress looks great with gold high heels and cascading hair or a fancy up-do.

From page 7

Sydney Sebastian, Monett SIZE 0-4

If feminine is what you are looking for, then this ballerina pink, full skirted dress is for you. Sydney shines in the sparkling dress with sequin embellishments throughout, and corseted back adds dramatic detail. n

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FEBRUARY 2015

Symbols of love

Burrus Jewelers creates custom designed heirlooms STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHEILA HARRIS

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n 1947, De Beers, the world’s leading diamond company, coined the slogan, “A Diamond is Forever,” a succinct reminder of why choosing just the right stone and setting for an engagement ring is such an important decision. Ideally, the ring chosen will mark the beginning of a lifetime of shared memories, and be as pleasing in 50 years as it was on the day it was presented.

Jerry Burrus, of Burrus Jewelers in Mt. Vernon, has 38 years of experience with helping couples select the perfect engagement ring and wedding bands.

Although a few ready-for-purchase rings are available in his store, according to Jerry, FEBRUARY 2015

most couples prefer to invest the extra time needed to choose custom designed rings based on their individual preferences.

“The decision-making process does take some extra time,” stated Jerry, “although it is much faster now, thanks to modern technology. Using our website, a customer can click on a variety of options for metal colors, stone shapes and setting designs. A lifelike image will then be generated to give the customer an idea of what the completed ring will look like with the options they’ve chosen.”

“Many customers already have a design in mind when they come in, based on a ring that caught their eye somewhere else,” Jerry continued. “If they are able to bring in a

sketch of the design, or email me a photo of the actual ring, I can usually come up with a design that’s very close to what they want.”

For custom-designed rings, Jerry suggests that couples come in at least three weeks in advance of the date they would like to have a completed engagement ring available.

Although the current trend is for couples to choose the engagement ring together, occasionally, men come into the store alone who wish to present their girlfriend with a ring when making a surprise marriage proposal. Jerry has a solution for these situations, too.

“If a gentleman would like to choose a diamond solitaire to be used for the CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 13

engagement ring, I can place it in a temporary setting for him,” Jerry explained. “That way, he can offer his lady the traditional ring when he pops the question. Afterward, the couple can come into the store together to choose a permanent setting.”

Though engagement rings and wedding bands account for a large percentage of his business, Jerry and his staff work with many other types of jewelry as well. Heirloom jewelry is an item he sees a lot of.

“Many of my customers bring in a favorite necklace, ring or other piece of jewelry that they’ve either inherited or purchased from an estate, and ask us what we can do with it,” explained Jerry. “They usually want to reset the stones, using a different design. These have turned out to be some of our favorite projects. The ladies in my shop are great at helping customers come up with ideas for new settings.”

One of Jerry’s favorite pieces was a necklace set with 20 carats in diamonds.

“I had to create a setting for each diamond, about 60 of them altogether, then link each setting together,” Jerry explained.

“It was an extremely time-consuming project, but the finished necklace was spectacular.”

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Another favorite creation was an heirloom pocket watch cover made into a pendant with a gold rope bezel frame, set with diamonds.

Jerry’s reputation for creativity and dependability have far exceeded the bounds of Mt. Vernon. More than 20 percent of his customer base is from Springfield and beyond, and includes a few well-known personalities, a fact which can’t help but please him.

Jerry attributes his career as a jeweler to the fact that he was born with club feet. Although the Shriners covered the expenses for surgical correction of his feet as a child, when he reached young adulthood, it was still uncomfortable for him to stand on his feet for long periods of time. Because he enjoyed helping a friend who was a watchmaker at Sullivan’s Jewelry in Aurora, Jerry decided to pursue the jewelry business as his livelihood.

After graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1976 with a degree in Business, and as a Master Watchmaker and a Master Bench Jeweler, with a completed course in Diamond Grading from the Gemological Institute of America under his belt, Jerry began working for a jewelry store in Nowata,

Traditionally offered only in white or yellow gold, today’s brides have many more metal options to choose from for their wedding bands, including titanium, palladium and platinum. Jerry does not typically recommend platinum because the price is considerably higher than other metals.

However, because it is exceptionally pure, it can be a good choice for those with sensitive skin.

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Burrus Jewelers is located at 100 South Hickory Street, on the east side of the square in Mount Vernon, Missouri. They may be reached by telephone at 417-466-2910.

You may find them on Facebook, or browse their website at burrusjewelers. jewelershowcase.com

Oklahoma. When the store later went out of business, a local banker offered to loan Jerry the money to purchase it, an offer which he graciously accepted.

After a few successful years, Jerry opened a second store in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, then later, set his sights on a third one. Before signing the contract on the third store, though, he traveled back to his home town of Mt. Vernon, Missouri, with plans to purchase some showcases from Williams Jewelry, which was preparing to close its doors.

“It had been a long time since I’d been in Mt. Vernon,” explained Jerry, who had been adopted by his grandparents at a young age, and spent his childhood and teen years in the town. “I was a paper boy here when I was younger, so I once FEBRUARY 2015

knew almost everybody around. The visit triggered a lot of pleasant memories, and I was overcome by a desire to be a part of this community again. Instead of buying just the jewelry showcases, I impulsively bought the entire business.”

“I felt like it was meant to be,” Jerry revealed. “Everything just fell into place for me. Within one week of purchasing the Mt. Vernon business, I was able to sell my house and both of the jewelry stores in Oklahoma, making it possible to take up permanent residence in Mt. Vernon almost immediately. It felt like coming home.”

Jerry afterward opened jewelry stores in both Monett and Aurora, too, but scaled back to only the Mt. Vernon business again after a heart attack several years ago.

Jerry’s return to southwest Missouri has proved to be providential for him in more ways than one. About two years ago, through a set of remarkable circumstances, he made the discovery that he has a twin sister, one whose acquaintance has blessed him tremendously. And, if finding a long-lost sister was not bounty enough, he recently put his jewelry-making skills to personal use, this time designing an engagement ring and wedding band for his own new bride, Linda.

“My world has been tremendously enlarged,” stated Jerry humbly. “In less than two years, I’ve gone from being an only child, to a man with a sister. And, once childless, I’ve become the father of two and the grandfather of 12, through marriage. How many 60-year-old’s has that happened to?” n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 15

MY DREAM WEDDING The wedding story of Lindsey and Jon Cross Story by Lindsey Caldwell Cross • Photos by Sarah Hall of Sarah Bird Photography

On June 13, 2014, I married my best friend, Jonathan James Cross.

I could not have asked for a better day to get married. The weather was just perfect, and we had our family and friends all in one place, to celebrate our marriage. All of the years and months of planning and stressing about all of the details was definitely worth it!

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First things first Jon and I started dating in October 2007, after meeting each other while working together at the KOAM TV station.

We barely spoke to each other at first, then after I had been working there a few months, we realized that we lived very close to each other and decided we should car pool to work. That led to us becoming friends and we then started hanging out together outside of work as well.

One day it just hit me – I liked Jon! As soon as I realized that, I found myself unable to talk to him like I used to. I was so worried that I would say or do something wrong and then he wouldn’t want to hang out with me anymore. Little did I know that he felt the same way about me. While working at a promotional event, with other co-workers, I found out that Jon liked me too! I was immediately on Cloud 9. That evening was the first time Jon held my

hand and he asked me to be his girlfriend and I, of course, said, YES! Four years later, after dating long distance for practically the whole first year of us being together, then moving across state lines to finally be able to live together, and trying to build a life together in the big city of Springfield. On October 13, 2011, (my birthday) Jon asked me to marry him, and I, of course, said, YES! I immediately realized that I was going to have to plan a wedding! Stress and panic initially set in. “Let’s just run away to Vegas and get married” – but, our family and friends would be so upset with us! After a deep breath, we decided to just take some time and plan the wedding we wanted to have. We knew that it could take a year or two for us to plan and save up for the BEST WEDDING EVER!!

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Get inspired Luckily, Jon’s little brother, Jesse, and his fiancé, Chelsie, had gotten engaged before we did and set their wedding date for May 19, 2012. Helping Chelsie plan her wedding helped me quite a bit, and also reinforced the idea that in order to have the wedding you always wanted, you have to have a plan and a budget to stick to.

Jesse and Chelsie had a beautiful wedding, and it was such an amazing evening. Jon and I knew we had a lot to live up to if we wanted our wedding to be an equally amazing evening. After planning her own wedding, Chelsie was such a wonderful asset to have when I started planning my wedding. I am so thankful that I had her to lean on during the planning process.

As we were just starting to get into the wedding planning process, LIFE HAPPENED! The jewelry store that I was working at decided to shut their doors for good. Instead of looking at me losing my job as a setback, we decided to look at this as an opportunity to make a life change.

After a long conversation, we knew that we wanted to move to a smaller town, and that we wanted to be closer to family. Jon grew up in Cassville, and his family still lives there, so we moved there!

Setting the scene The move to Cassville put a temporary hold on planning our wedding. Luckily, shortly after moving there, I got a job with The Cassville Golf Club. While chatting with my co-worker about planning a wedding, she suggested that I have my wedding at the golf club. So I talked with my boss, Chuck Edie, and booked the venue for Friday, June 13th. Jon started working at Jersey’s Sports Bar & Grill.

They cater events, so we knew we had them as an option for food and drinks.

After a few months, I took on another part time job at Designs By Debbie (a flower

shop in Cassville). I immediately discussed wedding plans with them and knew that I could depend on them for wedding décor and flowers. Things were just falling into place so easily, and it was making the planning process go smoothly.

Save the date!

Soon after Jessie and Chelsie’s wedding, Jon and I started trying to decide on a date for us to get married. We were still living in Springfield at the time, and after finding out how much it is to book a venue there for a Saturday, we decided to have our wedding on a Friday evening.

So, we were looking at a 2014 calendar, Jon noticed that June 13, 2014, was on a Friday. Friday the 13th – spooky right?

Well, not for Jon and me, we were both born on a Friday the 13th! So for us, that was a sign that we should get married on Friday, June 13, 2014.

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Pretty palette The wedding planning was underway, with the help of so many. I had to start deciding on some very important details.

Wedding colors! I started thinking about wedding colors before Jon and I were even engaged! I changed my mind several different times, and Jon didn’t really care for any of them. I finally decided on Coral, Pink, Gold, and Ivory, and we both decided those were the right colors. I decided that instead of being limited on what I could do with those colors, I ended up using variations of Pink, Coral and Gold.

You gotta love Pinterest!

Now that we decided on the colors we would use, I had to start thinking of the centerpieces and other various decorations.

The place I recommend to go when looking for ideas would have to be Pinterest! I can’t express just how important Pinterest was to me during the wedding planning process.

It can get overwhelming with there being so much to look at. I pinned so many ideas and did less than half of what I pinned. I also didn’t want to do exactly what someone else did, so I used this opportunity to get creative. So with the help of family and friends, I got to work on crafting projects.

I had talked about my wedding plans with floral designer Kristin Popanz. She knew what I wanted, and I completely trusted her to make the perfect bouquet.

I wanted to use lots of wine bottles, candlesticks and metal trays for centerpieces, so I looked on Pinterest for ideas using those specific items. With the help of my soon-to-be in-laws, Bert and Chelsie Cross, and my friend, Jamie Thompson, we spray painted the wine bottles, candlesticks and trays with our wedding colors. After the bottles were dry,

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I wrapped burlap and twine around them.

I then put sparkly pink and gold sticks and babies breath in the pink and coral bottles.

We also used lots of gold taper candles. I put those in the gold bottles and made them candlesticks.

Instead of just buying plain vases for flower centerpieces, I decided to use jars and, again, I went on Pinterest to get ideas.

FEBRUARY 2015

I ended up using pink and gold glitter half way up the vase, and glued ribbon on in the same colors. I used gold spray glitter on the lid rings to make them even more sparkly.

I put only babies breath in the jars and we placed them on the tables.

I knew that I wanted to do something unique for our wedding favors. For one favor I bought heart shaped seed paper on Etsy in our wedding colors and made cards to stick them on to personalize them. With the help of Bert, Chelsie and Jamie we put them in paper pots and wrapped them in cellophane. For the other favor, we came up with an idea to put heart shaped cookie cutters (from Oriental Trading Company) with a personalized recipe. Then I found a recipe for red velvet sugar cookies with cream cheese icing on Pinterest. I personalized the recipe and printed it out on card stock then we tied the recipes to the cookie cutters with twine.

A few other ideas we used, such as having a photo booth, making my own cupcake stand, and making my own programs then turning them into folded fans. The coolest idea I found was that you can make your own backdrop for behind your head table. Fortunately, my soon to

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be Father-in-law, Larry Cross, is a very talented woodworker. He made our back drop out of wood and PVC pipe. We then wrapped the back drop with burlap and gold table cloths. We also draped the back drop with sheer curtains, lots of lights, fans in our wedding colors, and a personalized banner.

After making so many things on my own (with lots of help), I soon realized that there are just some things that I can’t do.

So, Jon and I decided what task we would

split between each other. It was already very obvious to us both that I would handle the decorations. Jon is wonderful cook, and since he was working at Jersey’s at the time, we decided that he would take care of the food and beverages. With that being decided, we knew there are just some things that you can’t do for your own wedding, unless you’re possibly super human! The sooner you come to grips with that, the sooner you can get on with planning your wedding.

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Photography One of the very important aspects of a wedding that you just can’t do yourself is take pictures. I actually started keeping an eye out for a wedding photographer pretty early on in the planning process.

Facebook came in very handy when looking for a photographer. I knew we didn’t have a whole lot to spend on a photographer, and that made this task a little hard for me, because I was very picky about the quality of pictures that I wanted. After all, we will be looking at these pictures for a very long time. After talking to several photographers, I found Sarah Bird Photography. I used to work with the owner and operator of Sarah Bird Photography, Sarah Hall in Springfield.

I really took a liking to her work and I was dying to have her take our wedding pictures.

Her price was right and she agreed to take our wedding pictures. On the day of our wedding she did a fantastic job, she was very easy going and made the picture taking process very comfortable for everyone.

The perfect petals After we found the perfect photographer, we needed to find someone to make my perfect bridal bouquet and the other wedding flowers. That task was pretty easy with me working at Designs By Debbie. I had talked about my wedding plans with floral designer Kristin Popanz. She knew what I wanted, and I completely trusted her to make the perfect bouquet. As a bride that took on quite a bit of planning herself, it was great to let someone else take on an important part of the wedding planning process. All I had to do was tell her what I wanted and she made the most beautiful bridal bouquet for me as well as making the other wedding flowers.

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FEBRUARY 2015

When the week of the wedding came along, we had a lot of work to do. We had to start decorating days before to get everything the way that I wanted it. I have to say that Jon and I are so thankful for all of the help we received that week from all of our friends and family. There is no way we would have pulled it off without all of their help.

Finally, Friday, June 13, 2014, had arrived. Instead of being nervous, I was so focused on what was coming next that I had no time to be worried. The day that I was marrying my best friend was finally here and I could finally call Jon my husband.

Jon and I, along with our family and friends celebrated and danced the night away.

This wedding really was a long time in the making, but it was all so worth it in the end.

A piece of cake Being new to the area still, I wasn’t sure who to have make our wedding cake. I also wanted to do cupcakes for our guests. I felt cupcakes would be easier for our guests to serve themselves. Although we were doing cupcakes for our guests, I still wanted

Jon and I to be able to cut a cake for the reception. My soon-to-be mother-in-law, Bert, suggested Sherry Tucker. We met with Sherry and I knew right away she would do a great job. Sherry made the cake and the cupcakes exactly how I wanted them.

Helping hands With that all being taken care of, we still needed a few other important people to help with our wedding. We hired Jason Blankenship to be our wedding DJ. He has been a DJ for many years, and came highly recommended from many people in Cassville.

We hired Jerry Yarnall, a local preacher in Exeter, to marry us. We also needed someone to take photo booth pictures, so we enlisted the help of my bridesmaids, Betsy Keene’s, daughter, Morgan Keene. She did

a wonderful job, she is definitely an up-andcoming young photographer. We hired Brooke Williams from Jersey’s Sports Bar & Grill to be our bartender, she did a fantastic job. Last but certainly not least, I found Kayla Sandoval of Urban Edge Salon to do mine and my bridesmaids’ hair. She did exactly what I wanted and the same for my bridesmaids. Jon and I will be glad to recommend all of them for anyone planning their own wedding in southwest Missouri.

Say “yes” to the dress As for the most important part of the wedding, I had to find a wedding gown.

I went back and forth, trying to decide what to wear. I started out just wanting something simple, just a little white dress.

As the wedding planning process got into full swing, and I went to a few shops to look at dresses, I eventually decided that I wanted a real wedding gown. My mother and I set out to look for the perfect

FEBRUARY 2015

wedding gown. We decided the best place to look was David’s Bridal in Joplin. After trying on several gowns, the last dress that we picked ended up being the right one. It was the moment everyone told me about, that when you put on the perfect gown you will just know it’s the right one. Once I put on that gown, I immediately knew that I had found the gown I was going to marry Jon Cross in.

Our story isn’t any more special than anyone elses’ story but, it is so special to Jon and I. I hope that when reading the story of our wedding, it can inspire other brides that are planning their own wedding. Especially the brides right here, living in a smaller town like Cassville. You might think you have limited resources but it’s just not the case.

This is your opportunity to get really creative and make your wedding unique. You will need to lean on friends and family during this process. They will be the ones that will be there to keep you on task and calm you if things go wrong. Last but not least, don’t sweat the small stuff and go with the flow.

Every bride has the opportunity to have the BEST WEDDING EVER! n

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FEBRUARY 2015

Having a fairy tale wedding at an affordable price STORY AND PHOTOS BY KERRY HAYS

Y

ou hear all kinds of stories when you run a small business. Take for example a story told to Lenna Knight owner of Accents-N-Tents when damaged rental decorations were returned following one seemingly normal wedding.

“I’m still trying to figure out how the cow stepped on the chandelier,” recalled Lenna.

“Haven’t got that one figured out. What was the chandelier doing where the cow could step on it? All I know is that somebody was sending the cow to the moon.”

Lenna has been making the fairy tale beginnings of local couples come true for over a decade. Having provided services for nearly a thousand happy couples, it’s difficult to believe that at one time Lenna knew very little about renting tents and decorations.

FEBRUARY 2015

“We looked at different things that we wanted to do,” said Lenna, “and I’m not sure how we ended up doing this. We started out doing weddings for some friends and we enjoyed it. There seemed to be a need for a rental industry here.”

Once the decision was made to provide rental services, Lenna learned quite a lot in a very short amount of time.

“We had no experience when we first started out,” Lenna shared. “In fact, when we called Eureka Tent to buy tents, they wanted to know what kind and I didn’t have any idea what they were talking about. They sent a guy from New York City and a guy from Texas to teach us how to put up tents.”

Lenna received encouragement from her husband, Steve, and during the early years also received help from her daughter.

Over time, Steve has remained very supportive of Lenna’s “hobby.”

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 23

“It’s kind of like a marriage,” said Lenna.

“He encouraged it, so I did it, and now he’s going to help me.”

It was very important to Lenna that people saw her company as more than a tent rental business – hence the “Accent” in to company’s name. Even this word was selected for a very specific reason.

“We had to figure out, how you get noticed,” Lenna recalled, “and we had to be first in the phone book. We’re not just about the tents we’re about other things

24 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

too, so that’s how we came up with the name ‘Accents-N-Tents.’”

Lenna sees her company as being primarily in the rental business with weddings making up the largest volume of clients. Over the years she has provided rental services for corporate events, entertainment venues and even political rallies.

“We try to stay neutral,” stated Lenna.

“They just need the tent they don’t need my opinion.”

Accents-N-Tents provides services for close to 150 weddings each year. In spite of this large number, Lenna is committed to providing that personal touch to every couple that calls and inquires about her services.

FEBRUARY 2015

“When they call, we set up an appointment for them to come in and sit down,” Lenna said. “I usually tell them that it will take about two hours. I ask them to bring their colors and their ideas with them and we’ll go through the warehouse to see what we have to make that idea work for them.”

Accents-N-Tents owner, Lenna Knight, can be reached at 417-847-6863, and is located in Seligman.

Once Lenna tours the warehouse with the couple, they all come back to her office and develop a “wish list.” This list includes all the items they liked which matched the color scheme and ideas that were presented by the couple. The couple will then take the list home and determine what items will fit into their budget.

“Some of them will have a vision and some of them will just have pictures that they like,” said Lenna. “They’ll say, ‘I’ve seen this in a magazine how do you make this work?’”

Throughout the process Lenna is very careful to guide the couple and help make their wedding dream a reality – within reason.

“Our goal is to always be affordable for this area. If they’re trying to cut corners I might make suggestions,” Lenna shared. “I couldn’t sell ice to an Eskimo, I just want them to be happy with what they have and I want them to have the best wedding that they can afford to have.”

FEBRUARY 2015

Lenna believes there is a strong advantage to renting as opposed to holding a reception at a specific venue.

“You generally only have your venue from that morning until midnight of that night. On the day of your wedding you’re busy trying to get your venue decorated and get yourself ready – all the things that brides have to do. You’ll have the wedding, then the reception and by 11 or 11:30 you’ll have to clean it all up and be out the door because the venue will charge you extra if you’re not,” Lenna said.

Lenna sees an advantage in using a tent because many of the time restrictions don’t exist.

“The tent is up two or three days in advance and you’ll have plenty of time to decorate,” Lenna shared. “You can use

the tent for your rehearsal dinner, your wedding and your reception. We don’t take them down until the day after your wedding.”

Lenna’s overall vision is to somehow make the difference in a couple’s young life together that will help them have the experience of their dreams at a cost they can afford.

“You want to help people,” Lenna said.

“My goal is for every bride to have the wedding they want – within reason. We can all think about the fairy tale wedding, but is that what’s really affordable? Let’s make it as close to that as we can. The wedding should be a happy time, it should not be a stressful time. When they leave I always tell them, “We want to be the easy part. We’re the rental company – I’m here to help you.’” n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 25

Corsage couture

Custom made with individual style, a fresh flower accessory to compliment a formal attire STORY BY SHERRY TUCKER

T

he designers at Wickmans Florist in Monett take events seriously. Prom season is a time of year that they embrace, and they enjoy the opportunity to work with area youth who may be ordering flowers for the first time in their lives. Vonda Killion, along with Bernie Craft (manager of Wickmans in Monett) and Linda Alexander custom make every corsage that is ordered according to the wishes of the couple ordering the flowers.

Vonda, who is also a substitute teacher at Monett, looks forward to seeing young men and their dates visit the shop during the season to order corsages and boutineer. “When I started working here, many of the orders came from the couples mothers over the phone.

Though we still welcome phone orders, more often now than ever, the young couples will come in together and pick out coordinating flowers.”

Vonda sees herself as an interpreter for each couples individual prom style and helps them with the entire ordering process. “The thing I love about prom, is that I get to see the students in a way I’ve never seen them before. Most of them have never dressed this formal before, and may not dress this way again until their wedding.”

“It’s a time when we see students in a way that we may not have ever seen

26 26 || CONNECTION CONNECTIONMAGAZINE MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY FEBRUARY2015 2015

them before. Black tie attire usually has a wonderful effect on young people. It’s one night that they can start out with debonaire young men coming in and picking up flowers for their princesses for a night,” shared Vonda.

“Just as styles change in regular clothes, evening wear for prom has certainly evolved with the times. I think individuality is broader than ever.” Vonda continued, “The flowers to accompany that look have changed also.” Vonda remembers a formal she attended as a youth. She had long, straight hair and a long floral dress that was the style everyone wore then. But, to change things up a bit, she asked her date to please bring her stemmed daisies instead of a corsage.

Little did he know that as soon as he showed up with her bouquet of flowers,

Vonda would pluck the flowers off the stems and make a beautiful half-crown of daisies for her hair. Even then, Vonda displayed her own style.

Vonda looks forward to a challenge, and though they are more common now, she recalls her first encounter with a camouflage prom dress. “Several years ago I was introduced to the camo fabric dress. The idea didn’t excite me until I saw the young lady in the formal – it was FEBRUARY FEBRUARY2015 2015

beautiful. Of course, the standard red sweetheart rose and bb wristlet, of the 70s, would have looked all wrong. Instead, the look of wild flowers and decorative grasses (known to farmers as weeds) were used.” Though she enjoys creating oneof-a-kind accessories, she does assure, “traditional is available, but usually not chosen.”

Being committed to prom season, Wickmans devotes an area of the store to the event, “We don’t keep our prom supplies in the back room. As prom approaches, we dedicate a space in the shop for a ‘prom buffet showcase.’ The three designers that work here – Bernie, Linda and me – become employed by the customers to assemble the flowers.”

Vonda explains that there is a process in guiding prom dates through purchasing a corsage and boutineer. “I first have them tell me about THE dress.”

Vonda continues, “Then, the first step is to pick out the base for the corsage. This can range from a simple elastic band to a glittering bracelet that can be removed later and provide a permanent piece of jewelry.”

“The next step is the choice of ribbon. We have satins, sheers, metallics, glittered, animal prints and other wild prints. Their choice is not limited to one selection.

I also talk to them about the style of ribbon and streamers,” said Vonda.

After the ribbon, there are other embellishments that can be added to enhance the entire piece, “There is a lot of choice for accents for the flowers. Rhinestones, sprays, pearls and colored wires can add a truly unique look to their corsage,” Finally, choosing flowers. “Most will choose to use fresh flowers, but silks are available as well,” shared Vonda.

After all the pieces are chosen, the florist packages it all together for assembly, and the last minute arranging of fresh flowers are done the day of the event. All done, made to order, to make a special accessory for a special event.

Vonda confirms with her statement,

“Life is too short not to sparkle.”

DESIGNER, VONDA KILLION

CONNECTION CONNECTIONMAGAZINE MAGAZINE || 27 27

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28 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Stir it up with a few fun bridal shower games BRIDEZILLA Before the shower, make the most hideous veil you can with a cheap tiara, glitter, different colors of tulle – whatever you can muster. Then once all the guests have arrived, tell them that the word “wedding” and “bride” are banned. If you use one of the words, you are Bridezilla and have to wear the veil until someone else slips up! During your time as Bridezilla, you are encouraged to add to the veil to make it more hideous if possible.

RING HUNT Hide fake diamond engagement rings around the house and tell the guests to collect them throughout the party and put them on as they find them. The guests wearing the most rings at the end of the party wins. This one is simple, non-invasive and will lead to plenty of cute pictures.

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE Guests take turns sharing two truths and a lie about the bride. It’s a good idea to announce this game early in the shower so guests have time to think of good facts.

The facts can be about their friendship or history with the bride – they’ve been friends for 15 years, they taught the bride how to drive, they shared a lost weekend in Myrtle Beach – or a little known fact about the bride—the details of her first kiss, what she really thought of her groom when she first met him, her biggest pet peeve.

Everyone else writes down the number of the fact they think is false. Those who get it right get a little prize or a point and most points win at the end.

FEBRUARY 2015

PURSE SCAVENGER HUNT This game may seem too simple or overdone, but in this version you add an element of urgency. In the typical game you get a point for each item that you have, but in this GAME PRIZE IDEAS version it’s Gourmet coffee the first person Starbucks giftcard to find the item Coffee Mug who wins.

Sugar and Watching women Creamer set frantically rifle through their purses is what makes it funny. People will know they have that peppermint but they just can’t find it!

Come up with a list of items a woman might have in her purse. The host reads the items aloud and the first person to fish that item out of her purse gets a prize.

You can also give out small prizes for each item, but then designate points to each item for a big reward at the end. Make sure it’s on a sliding scale so that easy items like wallet and keys get one point and harder ones like dog treat, pepper spray or corkscrew get more. Here’s a fun sample list. You’ll be surprised how many of these people have in their purses!

Wallet, keys, cell phone, mirror, lip gloss, foundation, mascara, deodorant, hairbrush, tweezers, umbrella, book, pepper spray, dog treat, Advil, bandaid, stomach medicine, underwear, scissors, a stamp, a mint, a bottle of water, USB flash drive, a $50 bill, a menu, stain remover and bottle opener. You can also throw in a few things that require a little bit of extra effort. For example: a picture of the bride. Someone’s got to have it on their phone, right? n

Themed decor Go all out with the coffee theme! Try crafting coffee filter flowers or coffee bean tealight centerpieces.

Brown Butter Salted Caramel Mocha Cookies Ingredients: 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter 1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. instant coffee granules 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup caramel bits 3/4 cup Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks Coarse sea salt for sprinkling Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter starts to foam, begin whisking constantly. When the butter turns brown, fragrant, and you see little brown bits at the bottom of the pan, immediately remove from heat and and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, coffee, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until well combined, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low-speed just until combined.

Add the caramels and chocolate chunks and stir until just combined.

Use a medium (1.5 Tbsp.) cookie scoop to place dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes until edges just start to turn golden brown. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Cool on a wire rack.

FEBRUARY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 29

On the spot

WITH DESTINY VANZANDT

DESTINY’S CLOTHING STORE 417-847-2365 709 Main Street Cassville

D

estiny Vanzandt is the owner of Destiny’s Clothing Store on Main Street in Cassville.

Born and raised in Cassville, she has a handle on the needs of the community where she lives and is excited about the opportunity to work with all of her customers as she establishes her and her husband’s business that opened nearly a year ago.

Being an entrepreneur is nothing new in her family. Her younger sister, Cailey, owns her own daycare, “KidsKorner Daycare,” and her mother, Kathy Trotter, is an owner/ operator of “A Cut Above” salon. Destiny also works alongside her mother-in-law, Bobbi Vanzandt, at the clothing store. As for the men in her life, her husband and his dad run their own welding and fabrication shop, “The Arc Shop,” and her dad works with G Fields Ranch. This close-knit family spends a lot of time, working and playing together. “In our free time, when there is any, Trenton and I are usually hanging out with our families,” says Destiny.

Destiny has set the stage with a new option for youth in the market for prom attire this year. Through the formal season, she will be accepting used dresses for resale at her store. She is also helping Connection with our “Prom Dress Re-wind” by handling the resale of most of the dresses featured in our beautiful prom dress spread. Thank you, Destiny! Men are also covered with Destiny’s tux fitting service.

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DESTINY AND TRENTON VANZANDT OWN AND OPERATE DESTINY’S CLOTHING STORE.

Connection had a few questions for Destiny which she was happy to answer: Connection: Destiny, when did you open “Destiny’s Clothing Store” and why did you decide to get into that line of business?

Destiny: Destiny’s Clothing Store opened May 3, 2014. It was brought to my attention by my “nanny,” Sue Craig, that Mark and Patti Smith (former owners of Smith’s) was ready to hand over the business after 34 years. I couldn’t have been more excited at this point, and wouldn’t have thought in a million years I would be opening a clothing store. Thanks to my husband and my family, and all their hard work, we made it happen and I have never been happier.

FEBRUARY 2015

Connection: How do you suggest they narrow down what kind of dress – style, color, fit?

Most girls that come in are looking for that perfect prom dress the one they will feel confident in. As soon as the girls come in and I see them looking, I start asking them questions such as, what color would you prefer, poufy or slim fit, strapless, lots of diamonds or more simple. Eventually, we get it narrowed down to something they like and if they don’t find it in the store then at least they have something to go off of while they continue the journey of finding a dress.

Connection: Have you always enjoyed fashion and style?

Destiny: I have always enjoyed fashion, but little did I know it would lead to this adventure. I am no expert in fashion – every day I learn what’s in or out and the newest fashion trends. It’s very exciting at times to see what’s new or next.

Connection: What part of the clothing market are you targeting?

Destiny: We are trying to target all ages of ladies. We have a wide variety of clothes, styles and sizes for women. Destiny’s has started a new project this January. We have taken in over 100 prom dresses and are still continuing to receive them. I had talked to several people before taking on this project.

Many girls had dresses just sitting in their closets collecting dust. Dresses are far too valuable and gorgeous to be stuffed away in a closet. This sparked an idea and we had plenty of room to take on the dresses.

We have been blessed to have such a great turnout, thanks to our community.

Connection: Girls come in all shapes and sizes. Do you have any suggestions for girls wanting a perfect fitting dress for prom?

My suggestion is if they are having trouble finding the perfect fitting dress would be to look for a corset that you can loosen or tighten the dress to fit girl’s body. Length is usually easier to alter.

FEBRUARY 2015

Destiny’s Top 5

Connection: As a young entrepreneur, do you have any “words of encouragement” for others wanting to open their own business?

My words of encouragement would be never give up. If this is your dream, you can make it happen, just have faith and commitment and you will succeed. Also, a good supporting family indeed makes the journey easier. n

5 FAVORITE STYLE PATTERNS: • Chevron • Hound’s-tooth • Aztec • Bold floral • Leopard 4 FASHION TRENDS FOR 2015: • Colored jeans (or jeggings) • Kimonos and cardigans • Palazzo pants • Leggings with piko tops 3 FAVORITE ACCESSORIES: • Beaded headbands • Chunky jewelry • Sunglasses 2 FAVORITE MATERIALS: • Lace • Fringe 1 PERSON THAT INSPIRES YOU: My mother has been the biggest inspiration. She is always giving me new ideas, new outfits to put together, or styles that she has seen. She has been the best motivator for Destiny’s Clothing.

DESTINY ENJOYS HELPING CUSTOMERS AND WORKING WITH BOBBI, HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, WHO ALSO HELPS AT THE CLOTHING STORE. BESIDES OFFERING NEW CLOTHING IN BOTH TIMELESS AND TRENDY FASHIONS, DESTINY IS GIVING YOUNG LADIES A SHOWCASE OF RESALE FORMALS FOR THE UPCOMING PROM SEASON.

DESTINY WITH HER MOM, KATHY TROTTER.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 31

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Expressions of love in a different era STORY AND PHOTOS BY LAYNE SLEETH

L

etter writing is an art that has all but disappeared from our culture over the decades. It has been replaced with more efficient, yet less thoughtful, forms of communication like email and text messages. No longer are we accustomed to waiting for a reply in the mail, as everything is immediate in this day and age.

But still, there is nothing like dropping a carefully packaged letter in the mailbox and anticipating a parcel in reply. Each letter received from a loved one can feel a bit like a gift. A letter can be displayed, treasured, or tucked safely away for smiles later on. To hold a handwritten letter that is almost 70 years old is a treat.

Jane Ohlsen, a native of Marshfield, Wisconsin, transplanted to Mount Vernon, is a collector of antiques, particularly family heirlooms. One of her most treasured items is a bundle of handwritten letters that her father, Ray Ohlsen, passed on to her. The love letters are from his late beloved wife, Elizabeth. Jane says that the specialness of her mother’s handwriting and the sweetness of Elizabeth’s 26-yearold perspective really resonates with her.

“Just to see that personality, that side of my mother as a young woman in love, is special.”

Jane is one of seven Ohlsen children.

To look back on the letters and see that her mother and father’s dreams came to fruition is very touching for Jane.

ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1944, RAY AND ELIZABETH HAD THEIR FIRST PHOTO TAKEN TOGETHER IN A PHOTO BOOTH AT THE ANNUAL CORN PALACE FESTIVAL IN MITCHELL, S.D. THE PHOTO COST THEM A DOLLAR AND WAS ALWAYS ONE OF THEIR FAVORITES.

FEBRUARY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 33

The true love story of Ray Ohlsen and Elizabeth Hofer blossomed when the pair met while attending Mitchell Business College in Mitchell, South Dakota. Ray had taken a job as janitor in the college building as soon as he started classes. At a school luncheon in early September 1944, Elizabeth generously offered to serve the watermelon to Lyle, a student who was on crutches due to polio. Lyle and Ray Ohlsen were the only two male students in a student body consisting of about 90 other females. Out of consideration, Elizabeth also offered to serve Ray some watermelon, as his desk was next to Lyle’s. A few days later, Ray was washing windows outside of the school building when Elizabeth walked by with a group of girls. Elizabeth offered her assistance once again and the two talked and became better acquainted. Just a week or so after their initial meeting, on September 19, Ray and Elizabeth went on their first date to a double-feature movie.

They spent the remainder of the evening sitting on the church steps near Elizabeth’s rooming house. Ray coyly asked her how she looked without her glasses on and, while Elizabeth was preoccupied with taking them off, Ray snuck their first kiss.

From that day on, they were inseparable.

Less than two years later, the two were married on July 1, 1946, at St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls.

Though before that took place, Ray took a full-time job in October 1945 in Sioux Falls at the Central Electric and Gas Company after graduating business college, while Elizabeth went back home to Freeman, S.D. The two exchanged affectionate letters nearly every day, talking of their daily lives and of their future

together. In one of Elizabeth’s letters to Ray, she writes “I’ve counted 153 love letters which I have received from you.”

They were quite devoted in their patient communication via letter correspondence.

Less than a year after they were married, in March 1947, Ray was hospitalized with sub-acute bacterial endocarditis, an infection in the lining of the heart caused by streptococcus. His doctor said that it would be fatal without penicillin, a brand new drug at the time. Ray took

ORIGINAL PHOTO WAS TAKEN ON RAY’S BIRTHDAY IN 1945, AND THE COUPLE REENACTED THE PHOTO 56 YEARS LATER.

34 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 2015

TOMBLIN’S

penicillin every four hours around the clock and, after a few months, he did make a full recovery. While he was in the hospital, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with their first child, visited Ray or wrote to him almost every day. He saved some of the letters that she wrote to him during those eight tumultuous weeks.

To read through the penned letters of Elizabeth is to see the world through her eyes, as it was happening in the 1940s. The pages are a romantic time capsule, containing written snippets of their effervescent and starry-eyed love, and, according to Jane, they kept up this romance throughout her childhood and adult life. The two raised seven children in a simpler time, with Sunday drives accompanied by a family hike and hot dogs eaten outdoors. Jane recalls the gestures of love and kindness between her mother and father. Elizabeth was content being domestic and staying home, though “she was really into letters, notes, and lists, like I am,” Jane remembers. Ray built a nice desk for Elizabeth where she could write in comfort.

In December 2009, Elizabeth passed on after sharing 65 years with the love of her life. She passed away from cancer on a Saturday at 10:45 A.M., but their love continues on today.

Each Saturday morning at that same time of day, Ray goes into their bedroom and prays and talks with Elizabeth. He rejoices in the many memories he made with his beloved.

Jane Ohlsen has one daughter, Stacey (Carr) Irvin, a 2005 Mount Vernon graduate, and two grandsons. n FEBRUARY 2015

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36 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

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FEBRUARY 2015

Dates for your date 7 FUN IDEAS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY THIS YEAR

BY MEGAN RUFFING

I

t always seems like Valentine’s Day sneaks up on us. It’s just after the holidays and for many, a very special time to share a romantic night out with your loved one. An evening with your sweet might be the traditional dinner and a movie or it might be something “out of the box” literally, with an engagement ring to tie the knot. Whether you plan on heading out or staying bundled up inside, don’t let this year’s Valentine’s Day go by without having a plan to celebrate the love in your life.

There are tons of things you can do with your kids, grandkids, spouse or for yourself.

Here are 7 ideas to get you started:

1

Make Valentine’s Day cards. Your kids will love being creative and what’s more, it will keep them occupied for at least an hour while you get some things done from your to-do list.

2

If making cards isn’t your thing – spend some time picking out the perfect card at the store for the loved ones in your life.

Grab a box of chocolates to go with your words and you’ll have sweets for your sweet.

3

Have a feast! This is something my son came up with, and he asks for it every single year. He loves hanging out with me in the kitchen while I make dinner and insists on making enough food so that our table is filled with a spread of macaroni and cheese, rolls, corn, chocolate milk, salad and whatever else we can think up. It’s fun and it’s a great conversation starter between parents and kids.

4

If it’s just you and your group of friends this year, plan on heading to the movies to see a chick flick or get creative and paint pottery, make jewelry or try a new restaurant. Valentine’s Day is synonymous for all things love, but it can also be a perfect time to spend a night out with the girls and unwind.

5

Are your kids out of the house? Are you retired? Why not make a date and head to the spa? Massages, facials and wraps are just a few of the luxurious services that you can indulge in this Valentine’s Day. Make it a couple’s getaway and book services for both of you at the same time. Many spas offer holiday packages at a discounted rate if you combine more than one service.

Meagan Ruffing is a freelance writer living in southwest Missouri. She plans on setting the table for a feast with her family this Valentine’s Day before heading to the store for a pint of ice cream.

FEBRUARY 2015

6

Dads, husbands and grandpas can be tricky to surprise on Valentine’s Day. Make it fun for them and for you too, by sending them on a scavenger hunt around the house where they discover little surprises that you have planted along the way. There’s an element of excitement and it’s something that lets him know you were thinking about him without making a big to do about it.

7

Pets love a nice surprise too. If there is no pet bakery nearby and you want something homemade for your fury feline, Google “homemade cat treats” or “dog treats” for a large selection of recipes.

Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year, which means the kids will be home from school, parents will be off of work (maybe) and you can make a day out of spoiling all those around you. Grab this list of ideas and get the festivities planned before February 14th rolls around. n

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 37

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38 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

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HEALTHY CONNECTION

My top 10 list for being healthy and happy in 2015

BY NANCY RIDGLEY, RD, CDE

W

e like lists, lots of lists! Most popular baby names. Most popular books. Top 10 movies of the year. Why so many lists? We like them because they’re attention-grabbing and easy to create. Lists make us smarter. They provide us with a quick and easy way to remember information because they break it up into parts.

Lists are motivational. They can inspire us when we’re making resolutions or simply planning for the new year.

I have listed my own personal top 10 list to follow in 2015 to improve how I feel every day. I suggest you make your own list. You may have something completely different on your list or you can choose to use some of mine.

10

Eat more color. I will start eating more leafy greens, red tomatoes, blueberries, oranges, etc. Foods with vivid colors contain a lot of nutrients.

minimally to heavily processed. Heavily processed would be crackers, deli meat, frozen pizzas. Minimally processed would be bagged spinach, cut vegetables and roasted nuts.

9

7

8

6

Continue loving my low fat dairy, skim milk, Greek yogurt, low fat cheese and my newest love, Kefir. Kefir is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, but it contains beneficial yeast, as well as probiotics found in yogurt.

Eat minimally processed food.

Processed foods fall on a spectrum of

Take more time to add nutrition in easy ways. Maybe chop a pear and add to my oatmeal, or slice a banana on top of a whole grain waffle.

Treasure my exercise time with my workout buddies in spinning, Journeys, and yoga.

Nancy Ridgley, RD, LD, CDE, is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator for the CoxHealth Center for Health Improvement. For more information about wellness and living a healthy lifestyle, check out Cox Monett Hospital’s webpage at www.coxhealth.com.

FEBRUARY 2015

5

Be a better friend and family member. Be the one to reach out.

Really be there.

4 3 2

Send cards. Do for others you know who have a need.

Do not worry about money. Give more freely.

Cherish my incredibly blessed life that God has given to me.

Remember the privilege to walk out my faith I speak about.

1

Live with less worry and fear. John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Wishing you a wonderful 2015! n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 39

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fax: 417-847-5009

FEBRUARY 2015

Connection’s Cutest Kid February’s cutest!

Kinzley, three-year-old daughter of Stephanie and Greg Chapman, of Pierce City. Thanks again.

Congrats, to beautiful Kinzley!

Are you a proud parent?

If so, take this opportunity to show off that cute kid of yours. We invite you to share a photo of your child to be featured in Connection’s very own proud parent cutest kid contest.

FEBRUARY 2015

Email your child’s photo to connection@monett-times.com. Photos should be sent in the original JPG format at the highest resolution possible. Remember to include your child’s name, parent’s name, age, city and your contact information.

The contest is open to children ages 10 and under. The photos submitted will be used for the sole purpose of this contest.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 41

Keeping that loving feeling Aurora couple shares their story of lasting love STORY BY KIM MCCULLY-MOBLEY

F

ifty years ago doesn’t seem that long ago to some people. The Righteous Brothers had a hit with You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’. Vern’s Burger Bar was the place to be in Aurora, Missouri. Gas was 31-cents a gallon, which fueled interest in driving Route 66 to see what adventures would play out on the open road.

In Aurora, teens had a routine of cruising Vern’s, Church Street and White Park.

In the fall of 1965, Joyce Henson was minding her own business one night – as she cruised through Aurora in her mother’s 1963 champagne Mercury Marquis. As she pulled into Jim Carr’s filling station (which was located a block east of where it is located now), a handsome Verona boy she had seen a few times before jumped into her car’s passenger side.

Ironically, they have been side by side ever since.

42 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

That “pickup” was Zip (Donald) Roder, a Verona graduate who had returned home from a stint with the United States Navy.

The impromptu relationship is still going strong. The pair would date for a year, marry in October of 1966, become the parents of two children and will celebrate 49 years of marriage in 2015.

Joyce had graduated from Aurora High School in 1965. Zip graduated from Verona High School in 1961 and joined the U.S. Navy – right before he turned 18. He returned home in 1964 and had spotted

a cute Aurora girl a few times at Vern’s Burger Bar – across from Oak Park.

When he found himself at a local gas station at the same time she pulled in, he lived up to his nickname (Zip) by quickly jumping into her car. The nickname was given to him as a freshman in high school for his speed.

If you ask him what he’s quick at, he’ll wink and tell you “everything.”

“I could shut the lights off and be in bed before it actually got dark,” he laughed.

After he received his income tax

FEBRUARY 2015

refund in early 1966, Zip would take his new girlfriend to Katz Department Store in Springfield to splurge on her engagement ring.

The pair would marry in October of 1966 at the Aurora Trinity Catholic Church on West College Street and Lincoln Avenue.

Their Hot Springs, Arkansas, honeymoon plans got a little off track as they actually ended up in Rockaway Beach after having dinner in Eureka Springs at the Crescent Hotel.

“He had fried chicken. I don’t remember what I had,” laughed Joyce.

“You didn’t make reservations back then and the fall festival season had started throughout the Ozarks. We went to Harrison, Arkansas, Branson and finally Rockaway – before we found a room. It was the last one they had left,” Joyce quipped.

Their room had no heat, except for the oven, and the landlady kept visiting them off and on throughout their stay to make sure they didn’t asphyxiate themselves with the oven.

“I don’t think she thought we were actually married,” laughed Zip. Zip indicated he has always managed to remember their anniversary – except for one time, “she gave me the silent treatment,” and he took note.

To this union two children, a girl and a boy, would be born. Theresa was born in August of 1967. Chris would come along in 1970.

“I am so honored to have parents who have stayed together after all these years. My parents have instilled a good work ethic into me, to be appreciative of what others do for me, to not take things seriously, to live life and have fun,” stated Theresa Sumners, who makes her home in Aurora—not far from her parents.

“Anyone who knows my dad knows he is a happy-go-lucky guy. He can make you laugh constantly and he stays young at heart. This compliments my mother, Joyce, who has been such a rock for my

FEBRUARY 2015

brother and I growing up. I look back at my childhood, and I remember those wonderful family evening meals. Families today do good to sit down together for one night.

I cherish those kind of memories, I am blessed my mother stayed at home while my brother and I grew up; you don’t realize how meaningful that is until you are older and you reflect back,” Theresa concluded.

What are the secrets to a healthy relationship and a long-lasting marriage?

The two are quick to agree on the following four items.

1. Have open lines of communication.

Talk it out. Don’t leave concerns or ideas unsaid.

2. Don’t ever go to bed mad. Life is too short. Things can change.

3. Sit down and eat meals together.

4. Tell people how you feel about them.

“We always kiss each other good night,” Joyce said.

What do they like best about each other? “She hardly ever gets mad and she’s a great cook,” commented Zip, adding “She always takes good care of me.”

“He is very kind and loving. He is usually understanding. He is a great dad and husband,” Joyce said with a grin, adding “When I’m down, he usually thinks of something fun for us to do.

The two have had some great memories involving their children, grandchildren, ballgames and traveling together on a 13-day cruise through the Panama Canal.

Future plans include more ballgames, more travel and more fun. The couple recalled a time when Zip made Joyce a heart-shaped hamburger for Valentine’s Day. He says this year—he might just make her a heartshaped steak.

They agreed they wanted to

encourage today’s couple to work at their relationships.

“Too many times young couples see marriage as disposable,” Joyce stated, adding, “You’ve got to work at it.”

The couple can also boast longevity in their careers. Zip retired in 2010 after 46-plus years with Rocketdyne in Neosho.

He figures he drove over a million miles during his career. Joyce stayed home when her children were young and later worked some seasonal jobs with Walmart. She is now retired from Aurora’s hospital after 22 years of service.

Joyce said in all their months of dating, Zip never walked her to her door.

She didn’t seem too worried, though; it seems once he got her attention, he was in her life to stay. As they bundled up to head out for a New Year’s Eve dinner, it was clear they wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Are you buying?” he asked—with an ornery chuckle.

Joyce shook her head and smiled as they walked off—side by side. n

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 43

A Litta help from T

he Central Crossing Fire Protection District (CCFPD) Search and Rescue dog Litta and partner, Fire Chief Rusty Rickard, are a team ready to serve the surrounding area and community of Shell Knob in a moment’s notice, but could use a little help from their friends. The team relies solely on donations from those who find value and importance of fast responders to lost or missing persons locally. A dog is able to detect a scent or a track for only so long, the track can be lost long before outside help ever arrives on the scene. With the CCFPD team so close at hand, the Ozarks can rest a little easier knowing that should someone get in trouble Litta and Chief Rickard are always at the ready.

44 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 2015

om your friends Training is a constant and daily event with Litta, the districts 2-year-old Dutch Shepherd from Tennessee. Chief Rickard spends at minimum 15-20 hours per week working and exercising Litta’s many talents.

After all, it takes mental and physical skills to successfully track a lost or missing person. She is a dual purpose dog with three national certifications in tracking and trailing for search and rescue (SAR) and narcotics detection. This dual certification has allowed her the opportunity to aid local law enforcement in Stone, Barry and other surrounding counties with searching for fugitives and narcotics. Litta and Chief Rickard have had the chance to assist with only a few missions since she became a

member of the CCFPD team, including the search for the boys that were missing from an area camp last summer and hunting for fugitives. They were on standby for a missing girl in Cassville and a lost visitor at an area nature park. But these sporadic opportunities to work are not enough to keep Litta’s skills honed, so Chief Rickard works hard at creating events to do what she loves. It takes some logistical work and usually a volunteer or two but they find time to “work” three to five times a week.

Rusty’s dedication to the community is apparent. An Ozark native, he shows his commitment to serving with the many hours of work he has given to the district over the years. At the age of 32, Rickard has

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DORI THOMAS

been Fire Chief for a decade and has always been around the fire house for as long as he can remember. He is a third generation fireman and prides himself with the fact that his grandfather helped start the fire district and was the inspiration for the wonderful facility and services that Central Crossing offer today.

As if being a fire chief isn’t time consuming enough, Chief Rickard dons other titles for the district as well and takes his role as trainer and handler very seriously. Knowing the commitment involved in maintaining a great working dog, he puts in many hours with her each day, she is by his side most of the time, taking her with him whenever he can to

SEARCH AND RESCUE DOGS USE A VARIETY OF SCENT TRACKING TECHNIQUES, HERE LITTA DEMONSTRATES TRACKING WITH HER NOSE TO THE GROUND, AND THEN TRAILING WITH HER HEAD UP, USING THE AIR SCENT TECHNIQUE.

FEBRUARY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 45

give her more socialization and out-of-thekennel experiences. Watching her work is fascinating as she moves with her nose as her guide. She is ultimately wanting her ball, which is the reward, and her nose knows how to find the prize to achieve that goal.

“The best dogs can track older scents, but the most success is when the scents are fresh. Up until two years ago, the closest team was five hours away at best, that’s just not very helpful when you are searching for a lost child, elderly person or the weather is bad. Time is of the essence in these cases, and now we are equipped to assist with those rescues when needed,” Chief Rickard explained.

Litta means “little” (Norwegian origin) The Dutch Shepherd is a rare breed, almost going extinct in 19401950s. This herding dog from the Netherlands is known for reliability and loyalty, they are alert and watchful as well as versatile and rugged.

Litta also goes home with Chief Rickard each evening and is a part of his family, however she is not considered a pet LITTA’S BALL IS HER REWARD, NO MATTER WHAT THE CHALLENGE. but another member of the fire station workforce and is treated Chief Rickard shared what makes a good SAR dog. “They talk about drive with working as such. Chief Rickard shared that naturally at first the other personnel wanted to dogs – Litta would climb the wall to get her spoil her with special toys and treats, but ball – she has a lot of drive.” Her motivation working dogs cannot be handled the same was evident when he demonstrated how as pets due to the fact that they must stay she detected narcotics hidden in one of the many rooms inside the fire station. The same focused on their job. “There’s a time and place for everything,” states Chief Rickard. motivation drives her to tracking and trailing Litta gets plenty of treats and playtime, but as well. She knows that once she finds that it has to be structured appropriately so that mark she’s going to get her ball. she understands the differences between Drive is also something Chief Rickard working and playing. carries with him. He has put in over 200 Litta is very social and enjoys meeting hours of handler training and travels to the public. The team visits area schools to Tennessee and Joplin to brush up his skills.

Because his wife’s family is very involved with working dogs, it seemed natural that Rickard would acquire a dog for the district’s use, it is something he has always been interested in and there was certainly a need for it in the community.

46 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

demonstrate Litta’s abilities to the students.

It give the Chief a chance to interact with the community and share some fire safety at the same time. This also allows him to make the most of his other job title, Chief Fundraiser, and to remind the community they serve that there is a need for donations and support to ensure the team is able to function and remains available at a moment’s notice.

Since the CCFPD is a not-for-profit with 501(c)3 status, it’s easy for anyone to make a donation at any time of the year.

Chief Rickard would like to remind the area businesses that donations are a great way to support the program and get a tax writeoff at the same time. All proceeds donated to the canine division go to assist with continuing education, food and veterinary bills. The cost of maintaining a working dog can run into the thousands of dollars each year as they require special food, training and care.

“Funding is a constant struggle,” stated Chief Rickard. Getting the word out about Litta and the needs of the team are key to the success and future of the canine program. “So far, the community has been there for us when we needed them.” He is hoping to continue that trend into the new year as he remains dedicated to grow the canine program and ensure that he and Litta are available to help their friends when needed.

Anyone can visit the fire station in Shell Knob and let Litta and Chief Rickard know you appreciate them. The Central Crossing SAR program is a great blessing to Table Rock Lake residents and receives no tax funds. If you are able, financial donations are best and can be made at any time of the year. To learn more about how you too can be a part of this vital program contact Chief Rickard. n

Mail donations to: CCFPD, P.O. Box 87, Shell Knob, MO 65747 or call 417-858-3560 for more information.

FEBRUARY 2015

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CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 47

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www.kenscollisioncenter.com 48 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

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CONNECTION’S

Cutest Pet Meet FiFi. She was born Oct. 5, and has brought much joy to Judy and Jose Rodriguez ever since. She jumps and kicks at the wind blowing leaves under her legs. She’s even cuter when she tries to chase dogs! Fifi lives with Judy and Jose in Rocky Comfort.

If you think your furry or feathered friend is the cutest in the area, let us know!

We invite you to share a photo of your pet to be featured in Connection’s very own Connection’s Cutest Pet contest.

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Email your pet’s photo to connection@ monett-times.com. Photos should be sent in the original JPG format at the highest resolution possible. Remember to include your pet’s name, city you reside in and your contact information.

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CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 49

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FEBRUARY 2015

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FEBRUARY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 53

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Spicing it up at Acambaro Mexican Restaurant

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHERRY TUCKER

Acambaro Mexican Restaurant 505 Plaza Drive MONETT 417-354-8408

A

cambaro Mexican Restaurant in Monett is always busy, and has hours that accommodate a wide array of dining plans. Their spacious dining areas are great for large parties, and they are equipped to cater outside events and parties as well.

Israel Patino is the owner and manager of the Monett location of Acambaro. The family owned and operated restaurants have nine establishments throughout the area. A parking lot full of cars, and customers, is a usually siting when driving past Acambaro. “We are steady, and it is always busy, but weekends are the busiest,” said Israel. “Sunday morning there is always a big crowd.”

Acambaro offers a large menu of TexMex as well as other Mexican specialties.

The most important element of excellent 54 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

FRESH SALSA AND TORTILLA CHIPS ARE SERVED WITH EVERY MEAL.

RICE AND BEANS ACCOMPANY MOST MEAL PLATTERS, INCLUDING LUNCH SPECIALS.

FEBRUARY 2015

A FRESH BEEF TAMALE SERVED WITH CHILI SAUCE.

food? Good quality ingredients. “A lot of people ask me if we cook everything ourselves,” said Israel, who explains, “Yes, everything is cooked fresh every day. We get supplies from some of the top grocery companies. I am very careful and try to get good quality meats and produce daily.”

Fresh guacamole and salsa is available every day.

Talking to diners and learning about what local and traveling guests enjoy eating is something that Israel appreciates.

“Sometimes people ask if we have ‘authentic Mexican food,’” he said, “I think we try to have a little of both – our enchiladas are Tex-Mex style, but we do have some authentic Mexican platters. Tacos are very authentic, a steak taco with onions and cilantro you could find in Mexico, and any of our shrimp.”

Israel has a lifetime of restaurant experience, “I have been in the food business since I was a lad. I used to do a lot of the cooking, but not now.” Israel has a FEBRUARY 2015

large staff of cooks and servers, which he manages. Since he started managing the Monett location in 2001, he still maintains most of the original cooking crew.

Besides the large dining capacity, Acambaro also provides a full bar. Bar stools and TVs to watch football, baseball or other popular sporting events are available.

They have a happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. daily. Starting January of this year, the restaurant has went smoke-free.

They are happy to help prepare large quantities of food for catered events.

School faculty meetings, local company meetings, employee parties and other events and weddings are among the typical occasions that Acambaro’s catering is experienced in servicing, and they do deliver.

Israel loves the Monett community and him and his wife are happy to be raising their family here. “I think it’s a nice place to raise a family. We lived in Springfield before moving here, and we like Monett.” n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 55

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Fri. 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Sun. 10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

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56 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

GRANDE TIRE, INC.

“Mastercraft Tire Made In America Since 1908”

Quality passenger, truck, light truck and farm tires at the most competitive price in the 4-state area!

Goodyear ~ Firestone authorized Dealer

Tues., Wed. and Fri. 6 a.m. - 2 p.m.

417-235-7175

- Grande Tire Since 1971 -

also available: Michelin • Goodrich • Toyo Mastercraft • Jetson

A+ Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Schedule your Carpet Cleaning Appointment Call Jerry or Chris Marbut 417-737-2044

Check Ou r Mounted/ Balanced FREE Stem s OUT THE DOOR PRICES!

1-800-535-3542 AURORA 417-678-2128

CASSVILLE 417-847-2934

PIERCE CITY 417-476-5156

JOPLIN 417-781-9280

FEBRUARY 2015

Stay connected MONTHLY MEETINGS AND DANCES The Southern Beekeepers of Missouri will meet at 7 p.m., the third Tuesday of the month, at the First United Methodist Church of Monett. Anyone interested in bees is welcome to attend. For more information, call Leon Riggs at 417-2355053 or Kevin Young at 417-847-5464.

Sons of the American Revolution meet every fourth Tuesday at Granny Schaffer’s Restaurant on North Rangeline, Joplin, at 6 p.m. Members and anyone interested in joining are welcome to attend, as well as spouses. Dinner followed by short meeting.

Please call president, Frank Shouse at 417385-3150 for more information.

Bunker Hill Community Association monthly Old Time Music Jam, held the first Saturday of every month. Located just off the junction of Hwy W, and Hwy 76, east of Anderson, Mo, at 5823 Route W. The Ozark Ridgerunner music group starts at 6 p.m. and welcomes anyone who sings, plays an instrument or just loves traditional country and bluegrass music. Refreshments provided and bring your favorite dessert or snack for a potluck at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Every Thursday of each month the Bunker Hill Quilt Club, of Anderson, meets from 10 a.m. till the last quilter leaves. Located at Bunker Hill School and Community Center just south of the junction of E Hwy 76 and Hwy W. For more information call on Thursdays, 417-223-5555.

The Stella Senior Citizens Center, the Monett Senior Center and the Aurora Senior Citizens Center hold dances weekly and monthly. The Stella dance is held every Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. with music by the

FEBRUARY 2015

FEBRUARY EVENTS

McDonald Playboys and Frosty Garland and the RoadHogs on alternate Fridays.

The Monett Senior Center, located at 405 Dairy Street, hosts their dance on the first Monday every month from 7-10. Music provided by Evelyn Lock and the Outrider Band. Snacks to share are welcome. $3.00 per person. The Aurora dance is held every Saturday of the month from 7 to 10 p.m. featuring the Funtimers Band.

Pierce City Senior Center offers free bridge classes at 2 p.m. each Monday and quilting at 1 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

Central Crossing Senior Center, in Shell Knob, offers line dancing classes from 9 to 10:30 a.m on Tuesdays and Thursdays; Zumba from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; Mahjong from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays; bridge from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursdays; quilting for charity from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m on

Wednesdays and Thursdays; dominoes from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Mondays and bingo from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month.

McDonald County Back to Basics community group will be held at the New-Mac Community Room, Old Hwy 71, north of the high school, in Anderson, Mo., the second Thursday of each month. Pot luck at 6:30 p.m., and meeting from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Newton County Library, located at 201 W. Spring Street, Neosho, offers monthly events. On the third Thursday each month, at 1 p.m., the library hosts a book discussion. Feel free to bring your lunch and enjoy the discussion. The library also holds a Friday Chess Club, ever Friday afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m. For more information visit www.neosholibrary.org or call them at 417451-4231.

Send event listings to thorntonlives@gmail.com

FEBRUARY 7 The McDonald County Chamber of Commerce Banquet will be held at River Ranch Event Center with a Valentine theme. Social hour will be 6 to 6:45 p.m., awards 6:45 to 7 p.m., dinner from 7 to 8 p.m., entertainment 8 to 9 p.m. with a silent auction occurring thru the evening and ending at 9 p.m.

FEBRUARY 12 The McDonald County Chamber of Commerce Second Friday Coffee will be hosted by the Hometown Bank in Jane, north of Walmart off Interstate 49.

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 1 The Waldensian Presbyterian Church, south of Monett, will open a temporary exhibit on the two Waldensian ministers who worked at the church in the 1800s, as part of the church’s commemoration of the 140th anniversary of its founding in 1875. This will be an interpretive exhibit, putting the story of these two men, Jean Pierre Michelin Salomon and Carlo Buffa, in the context of their times, as emigrants from Italy to the New World, their years in Monett, and what became of them after they left southwest Missouri.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 57

Mocha Jo’s

Good for breakfast, lunch and supper... or just come in for coffee and dessert

Treat your Valentine!

404 East Broadway • Monett

635-1107

505 Plaza Drive, Monett 417-354-8408

Monday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Thursday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Tuesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Wednesday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Sunday - Closed

acambarorestaurant.com

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Bill Pay & Internet Banking at www.sbswmo.com 58 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Front Street 417-835-8111

FEBRUARY 2015

Parting shot

BY DON LEVERICH The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers.

You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process, is its own reward. – Amelia Earhart FEBRUARY 2015 CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 59

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FEBRUARY 2015